Ringo’s 2024 QB Sleepers/Picks

*Note some of these calls aren’t sleepers just players I think could have a good year, beyond the more obvious names like Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. It’s difficult to find a true sleeper in today’s fantasy football landscape, but I’ll do my best to uncover some longshots in larger leagues or leagues with deeper rosters.

Anthony Richardson (Current Expert Consensus Ranking on Fantasy Pros- QB 6 Ringo’s Ranking QB 3) Last year, this is what I wrote about Anthony Richardson. “Richardson is a raw prospect. Scouts said he should have stayed in school for another year. However, out of all of the QBs who came out, he's the one with the most upside. Richardson is absolutely electric on the field. He's big (6'4" 232 lbs.) and fast (4.43 forty). When Richardson steps on the field, few can match his athleticism. He has a cannon for an arm too. The concerns are his accuracy and inexperience. Richardson can miss easy throws. Despite those concerns, few QBs possess the fantasy upside that Richardson has. With a current ADP at QB 17, if you want to take a home run swing at QB, Richardson is the guy imo”.

Well, it looks like the cat is out of the bag folks. Or maybe I should say the horse has left the barn since this is the Colts we’re talking about (see second video below haha). Anyway, the bargain basement price for Richardson is long gone. Damn inflation! Had Richardson not gotten hurt, he was well on his way to easily outperforming last year’s ADP. Richardson’s current consensus ranking is QB 6. This year, he’s priced about right at fair value. Richardson can be the next Cam Newton. He’ll run in a bunch of TDs and gain a bunch of points from his rushing yards. My only concern, can Anthony Richardson stay healthy? If he can, Richardson has a good shot at finishing as a top 5 QB in 2024.

Caleb Williams (Current Expert Consensus Ranking on Fantasy Pros- QB 13 Ringo’s Ranking QB 9) Anthony Richardson might be ranked higher by many fantasy analysts in 2024, but it’s Caleb Williams who is more heralded by scouts and NFL execs coming out of college. Williams is one of the most heralded QBs to come out since Joe Burrow and Andrew Luck. How good is Williams? Some scouts have made the comp to Williams being the next Patrick Mahomes. Look, my eyes are wide open here. If any team can screw up Williams’ development, it’s the Bears. That said, the additions of Keenan Allen, Gerald Everett, and Rome Odunze along with D.J. Moore and Cole Kmet give Caleb Williams some talent to do some fantasy damage. Keep an eye to see how Williams does in the preseason, but right now his consensus ranking at QB 13 seems cheap given the talent and potential Caleb Williams has.

Kirk Cousins (Current Expert Consensus Ranking on Fantasy Pros- QB 17 Ringo’s Ranking QB 7) The Falcons ponied up for arguably the best free agent QB on the market when they gave Captain Kirk the bag to command their offense. For reasons unknown to me, they used their first round pick (another top ten pick mind you) on a player who doesn‘t figure to see much playing time the next two years- rookie QB Michael Penix. This sounds like a Geico commercial. If you’re the Falcons, you draft really talented offensive players high in the first round and then don’t use them. That’s what you do haha! Anyway, maybe this is some kind of test for Captain Kirk when he goes to Falcons training camp. Kind of like when James Kirk went to Star Fleet Academy to take the Kobayshi Maru Test (see below). The pieces are there for Cousins to do well. An argument can be made that he has more weapons than in Minnesota to succeed and Kirk did pretty well in the Twin Cities. Despite the Falcons’ curious decision making, Cousins is in a prime spot to have a monster year.

Deshaun Watson (Current Expert Consensus Ranking on Fantasy Pros- QB 22 Ringo’s Ranking QB 8) Longshot Pick. I’m giving my Deshaun pick a mulligan. I’m throwing last year out because he got hurt. Here’s what I wrote about Watson one year ago.

”If you look up recency bias in the fantasy dictionary, there should be a picture of Deshaun Watson next to it. There's no way he should be ranked with an ADP of QB 10. He's entering the prime years of his career at age 27. He's also finished as a top five his first 3 years in the league. He helped Clemson win a national title in college by going through the Crimson Tide's defense like a hot knife through butter. In the biggest game with the game on the line in the final seconds, Watson delivered (see the video below). Yes, there were off-the-field issues, but that's in the past. And now he's had over a year to get familiar with the Browns playbook and develop timing with his WRs. I'm throwing last year out. Watson is too good to base his ranking on a small six-game sample size. That stretch was his preseason tune-up. The Browns aren't paying him $230 million to hand the ball off. They could have kept Jacoby Brissett to do that. They're going to center the offense around Watson. Expect the Browns to pass it more this year. And if that's not enough, Watson can run it some too. He's a good bet to rush for over 400 yards and run it into the end zone a few times. I expect a huge bounce-back season.”

Now, for the current update on Deshaun in June 2024. Watson’s doctor said he’ll make a full recovery before the season starts. They have a new offensive coordinator in Ken Dorsey. Maybe that will help? Bottom line, I still believe in Deshaun’s talent. Folks, it takes more than luck to beat a powerhouse like Alabama for the National Championship. That takes some big-time talent (see highlights below). In addition, the Browns added Jerry Jeudy, who joins Amari Cooper and David Njoku. Those are some pretty good weapons to throw to imo. He’s done well before. I think he could do well again. If you’re looking for a home run swing at QB, late in your draft, with a huge ceiling, Watson is worth a shot. Sleeper.

Will Levis (Current Expert Consensus Ranking on Fantasy Pros- QB 24 Ringo’s Ranking QB 23) Longshot Pick Larger Leagues/Superflex Leagues If you’re looking for a longshot sleeper QB that few analysts are talking about, Will Levis certainly fits the bill. The Titans cleaned house and new head coach Bill Callahan brings with him a pass-first offense. The Titans also added Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd to the WR core. The offensive line got a boost when Tennessee drafted highly regarded OT J.C. Latham with its first pick. The line is still a work in progress, but every little bit helps. The cumulative effect of these moves could translate into Levis taking a huge step forward. And keep in mind, the Titans’ defense isn’t the best, which will force Levis to keep the foot on the pedal with regards to the passing attack. That said, this is far from a sure thing. There’s a reason I listed Levis as a longshot pick. If Levis performs poorly, he could get demoted to second string and I’ll get thrown out quicker by my readers than Jazz in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (see below). However, if things break right, Levis has the weapons to pull off a Brock Purdy type of season into fantasy relevance. Will “The Fresh Prince of Nashville” Levis with DeAndre Hip Hop in the house!

Actually, I usually get thrown out after I tell my awful jokes. I know that look. You’re not getting any younger. This isn’t good for your back. Haha!